January 9, 2013

Fergie Jenkins: "Rumors" of PED User in Hall Already

The Hall of Fame and the use of performance enhancing drugs ruled the day once the Class(less) of 2013 was announced on Wednesday.

As a surprise to few, no one was elected, but as a surprise to many...current Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins suggested that Cooperstown might already have a user in its midst.

"I've heard rumors about four years ago that someone who has been in the Hall of Fame now for a couple years was in that particular situation," the 1991 inductee said during an interview on MLB Network. "There haven’t been any names put to the rumors. I’m not going to be the one who spreads it around but it’s rumors that you hear."

Bob Costas asked Jenkins to clarify his statement.

"There have been some rumors," Jenkins said. “No names involved, just some rumors. He played in the ’80s and ’90s and now is in the Hall of Fame, but that’s just a rumor.”

So, who does that single out? Your guess is as good as mine...but there aren't too many guys that fit the description.

Jenkins was also asked if he would attend the induction ceremony if someone who knowingly took PEDs was elected.

“I’d have to think long and hard about it,” he said. “There have been a few players who have voiced their opinions, and it’s been publicized. I think they’d be embarrassed to show because they played the game honest and now they have someone in the game who possibly cheated.”

3 comments:

It's very interesting... if you look at the BBWAA inductees from the past eight years that primarily played during the time period referenced, there are only two names that really jump out at me - Wade Boggs and Rickey Henderson. The others just don't seem to fit for whatever reason... Ryne Sandberg, Bruce Sutter, Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken, Andre Dawson, Barry Larkin... none of those guys screams "juicer." Plus, Boggs and Rickey were teammates of Clemens and Canseco, respectively. Assumption is never best practice but if Fergie has heard rumors, you can't help but look at the names and formulate a theory based on what we know.